Natural Media, Biological Fluids, Tissue Extracts, Complex Natural Media, Clots, Plasma, Lyophilized Form

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	Natural media These media consist exclusively of naturally occurring biological fluids. These are of 4 types. 1. Clots 2. Biological fluids 3. Tissue extracts and 4. Complex natural media I. Clots Plasma clots have been in use for long time and are the most commonly used ones. Plasma is now available either in liquid or lyophilized form. It is also prepared in the laboratory, usually from the blood of male fowl. Care must be taken to avoid blood clotting during the preparation.
2. Biological FluidsAmniotic fluid, ascitic and pleural fluid, aqueous humor from eye, insect haemolymph, serum, etc. are used as culture medium. Of these, serum is the most widely used. Serum may be obtained from adult human blood, placental cord blood, horse blood or calf blood. Foetal calf serum is the most commonly used one. Different preparations of serum differ in their properties and must be tested for sterility and toxicity before use. 3. Tissue extractsThe most commonly used tissue extract is chick embryo extract. Bovine embryo extract is also frequently used. Other extracts that are in use are extracts of spleen, liver, bone marrow, leucocytes, etc. Sometimes, a mixture of amino acids and certain other organic compounds can substitute tissue extract. The natural biological fluids are generally used for organ culture.
4. Complex Natural Media a) Supplemental Hank’s-Simm’s medium It is composed of Hank’s-Simm’s solution, beef embryo extract, horse serum and antibiotics. b) Supplemented bovine amniotic fluid This medium consists of bovine amniotic fluid, horse serum, bovine embryo extract, Hank’s balanced salt solution and antibiotics. c) Serum-supplemented yeast extract medium Yeast extract as Filco’s yeastolate, glucose solution, Hank’s balanced salt solution, human serum and sodium bicarbonate are the constituents of this medium. d) Serum-supplemented lactalbumin hydrolysate and yeast extract medium Earle’s saline containing lactalbumin hydrolysate, yeast extract and human or ox serum constitute this medium.